A criminal prosecution is not something that you can take lightly. If you’re in an unfortunate situation that causes you to face a legal consequence whether involving jail term, fines, or probation, you should handle the matter with the help of a criminal defense lawyer. But you can’t just trust your case to any criminal defense attorney you can find. You need to find a defense lawyer that has lots of experience and a good reputation to be able to help you get through the legal process of your prosecution.
Ideally, as soon as you are released from detention whether on signature or cash bond, you should immediately look for legal assistance from a competent defense attorney to help you prepare your defense.
Here are some important things you should consider when you’re looking for a criminal defense lawyer to make sure you get the best results out of your legal case:
Online Search
This is a great first step and the easiest way for you to find lots of criminal defense lawyers who practice in a location where your legal case takes place. You will likely find a lot of attorney names, just make sure you just focus on searching for defense attorneys who specialize in criminal law.
Credentials and Track Record
Usually most criminal defense solicitors will put their credentials on their website, and you can also ask these attorneys about their previous cases. Additionally you can as these lawyers to give you contact information of their previous clients who can give you a testimonial. From these credentials and track record you can narrow your options to just 3 or 4 criminal defense attorneys. You can check their credentials and track record again when you finally meet them in person at their offices, It would be best if you can find a criminal defense attorney who has experience in handling criminal cases like the one you’re facing right now.
Lawyer’s Association
If possible, it would be better if you choose one of the criminal defense lawyers who are affiliated with a big and reputed lawyer’s association. It may cost you more money, but you will have the advantage of being represented by a highly skilled criminal lawyer backed up by a well-established firm that has great resources. However, there are also many smaller law firms that can offer you a great criminal defense.
Further Research
You can do a further research by checking published books, treatises, or articles written by the attorney. Also you can verify the number of cases won by the lawyer. In addition, you could try to do an online search once again to find any reviews or testimonials whether from the lawyer’s website or in law forums.
Free Initial Consultation
Finally, when you contact the law firm, see if they can give you a free initial consultation. This is important because from this initial consultation you will be able to find out a lot about the competency of the lawyer. You can also use the opportunity to build chemistry with your lawyer if you really intend to trust your case to this law firm.